Ateneo Bulatao Center

Narrative Therapy & Personal Experiences

In narrative therapy, clients can make meaning out of their lives through their stories, which include their memories, the present, roles in personal and social settings, and relationships with other people. It aims to separate the person and their problems from each other so that the person can work on their relationship with the problems in question. The main purpose is to help the client tell and retell their story.

 

Writing especially can help to increase your awareness of your oppressive experiences. And letting you tell your own story in your own words can be very empowering, as it allows you to gain a new perspective on who they are. It encourages personal growth, development, self-expression,  reflection, and critical thinking (Portman, 2020).

 

TRY JOURNALING YOUR EXPERIENCES!

Journaling is one way in which you can capture memorable, and even mundane, experiences. Set aside time dedicated to journaling. You can express your thoughts from the morning, describe the lunch date you had with friends, or even recount an embarrassing moment that happened during the day. Let the activity of writing it out help you get in touch with your emotions and make sense of them. Make a habit out of journaling so that you can reflect on your writings later on. 

 

Afterward, ask yourself:

How do I want to relate with all my experiences today? 

Do I want to hold some close, or do I want to let go of some others?

Keywords: Therapy; Personal Experiences; Journaling

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